weight



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Shet 1. S. D. WRIGHT.

' GAB. FENDER.

o- 57,930. Pat ented Apr. .7, 1896.

W/TNESSES: v INVENTOH A TTOHNE 78.

AN DREW BLFANAM, PHOTO-LI'MO.WASHING\'DN. 0.0.

(No Model.) 2'She'ts-Sheet' 2.

s. 1). WRIGHT. GAR FENDER.

No. 557,930. PatentedApr. '7, 1896.

WITNESSES;- INVENTOH A TTOHNE YS.

UNITED STATES PATENT Frien- SYLVANUS D. \VRIGHT, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

CAR-FENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 557,930, dated April '7, 1896 Application filed Tune 13, 1895- Serial No. 552,699. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SYLVANUS DNVRIGHT, of New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Oar-Fender, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved car-fender arranged to readily pick up and safely retain a person or obstruction struck by the fender.

The invention consist-s of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accom panyin g drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar'characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improvement as applied. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the platform-hinge. Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation of the improvement on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 and with the platform in a lowermost position. Fig. 5 is a front end view of the improvement, and Fig. 6 is a sectional side elevation of a modified form of the device for holding the platform in a horizontal position.

The improved car-fender is provided with a frame A, extending approximately horizontally and made in a U -shaped form, with the middle portion extending forwardly, as indicated in Fig. 2. On the rear ends of the side bars of the said frame A are formed uprights or posts A, connected with each other at the top by a cross-bar A carrying hooks A engaging eyes B, secured in the end sill C of the car 0. The frame A is supported in position by chains D, connecting the side bars of the frame A with the dashboard C of the car, as is plainly indicated in the drawings. Braces A extend from the uprights A in a rearward direction to reach within a short distance of a fixed portion of thec'ar, so that the frame, upon striking a person or obstruction, can spring back by the force of the blow and finally abut against the said car portion (step) to hold the frame rigid.

The front cross-bar A of the frame A is engaged by a number of hook-hinges E, (see Fig. 3,) forming part of the platform E, preferably made of wire-netting and extending rearwardly within theframe A, the rear end of the platform being supported on springs F, 5 5 attached to the uprights A, so that the said platform E stands normally in a horizontal position. a

The platform E is provided at its rear end with a back E slightly curved near the top to form a head-rest and protect the body from the ironwork of the car. The back E is formed at its upper end with hooks Eiadapted to hook onto the cross-bar A connecting the uprights A with each other. When the platform E is in a horizontal position, the back E is inclined forwardly, as plainly shown in Fig. 1; but when the fender strikes a person or other obstruction in the path of the car, and the said person or obstruction falls upon the platform, then the latter swings downwardly until the hooks E hook onto the cross bar A to limit the downward swinging motion of the platform E, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 4.

On the rear end of the platform E, and preferably-near the sides thereof, are arranged shoes H, adapted to ride on the rails of the track at the time the said platform swings into its lowermost position when loaded, as previously explained.

As shown in Fig. 6, the platform E may be supported on a curved spring G, attached to the frame A at the rear end thereof, the said platform simply resting on the top of the 8 5 curved spring while in a horizontal position; but when loaded the platform E readily presses the spring and slides past the same upon its downward movement.

Now it will be seen that by the arrangement described a person or obstruction passing upon the platform E is safely retained therein, as the rebound is not suflicient to throw the person out of the now forwardly and up; wardly inclined platform E.

It is understood that in most accidents that have heretofore happened by persons being struck by car fenders as previously constructed, they have been thrown out in a forward direction by their own rebound and the I00 momentum of the car, as the fender has been unable to safely retain and hold the person after being struck by the fender.

It will be seen that by the arrangement described the frame A can be readily disconnected from one end of the car and placed upon the other end, likewise provided with eyes B, as before explained. Furthermore, the platform E can be readily disconnected from the frame by unhooking the hook-hinges E from the cross-bar A.

As the back E of the platform is free of all the ironwork of the frame A, as well as that of the car, the person falling against the said back is not liable to be injured, as the back yields rearwardly.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A car-fender provided with a fenderplatform fulcrumed at its front end, and normally extending rearwardly in an approximately horizontal position, the said fenderplatform on receiving a person or other weight swinging downwardly into an inclined position to retain the weight and prevent it from being thrown out by its own rebound and the movement of the car, means for normally supporting the said platform in a horizontal position and a platform-back provided with means for engaging a fixed part to limit the downward-swinging motion of the platform, substantially as set forth.

2. A car-fender provided with a fenderplatform fulcrumed at its front end, and normally extending rearwardly in an approximately horizontal position, the said fenderplatform on receiving a person or other weight, swinging downwardly into an inclined position, to retain the weight and prevent it from being thrown out by its own rebound and the momentum of the car, and a platform-back provided at its upper end with hooks adapted to engage a fixed part and limit the downward-swinging motion of the platform, substantially as described.

3. A car-fender, provided with a fenderplatform fulorumed at its front end, and normally extending. rearwardly in an approximately horizontal position, the said fenderplatform on receiving a person or other weight, swinging downwardly into an inclined position, to retain the weight and prevent it from being thrown out by its own rebound and the momentum of the car, and shoes held on the rear end of the said platform, to engage the rails or track at the time the platform is loaded and swings downward, substantially as shown and described.

4. A car-fender, comprising a frame supported on the car and extending horizontally,

a platform hinged at its front end on the front end of the said frame and extending normally within the same, the said platform being provided at its rear end with aback having hooks adapted to engage a fixed part of the said frame at the time the platform swings downward, and means, substantially as described, for normally supporting the said platform in an approximately horizontal position within the said frame, as set forth.

5. A car-fender, comprising a frame supported on the car and having side bars extending approximately horizontally and connected at their forward ends by a cross-bar, uprights extending fromthe rear ends of the side bars and connected with each other at the top by a cross-bar, a platform provided with hooks at its front end by which it is hinged to the front cross-bar. of the said frame, the said platform normally extending horizontally and having at its rear end a back inclining forwardly when the platform is in the horizontal position, the upper end of the said back being provided with hooks adapted to engage the cross-bar connecting the uprights when the platform swings into the inclined position, substantially as described.

6. A car-fender, comprising a frame supported on the car and extending approximately horizontally, stops for limiting the rearward movement of the said frame, a platform hinged at its front end on the front end of the said frame, the said platform having at its rear end a back provided at its upper end with means for engaging a fixed part of the frame at the time the platform swings downward, and a spring for normally supportin g the platform in an approximately horizontal position, substantially as set forth.

7. Acar-fencler, comprising a frame supported on the car and having swinging movement, chains connecting the said frame with the dashboard of the car, stops for limiting the rearward movement of the said frame, a platform hinged at its front end on the front of said frame, the said platform having at its rear end an inclined back provided at its upper end with means for engaging a fixed part of the frame when the platform swings downward, and means for normally supporting said platform in an approximately horizontal position, substantially as set forth.

SYLVANUS D. WRIGHT.

\Vitnesses:

THEO. G. HOSTER, C. SEDcwIcK. 

